uneblinstu's postgame chatter : vol 17; ed 16-Purdue

[millerhusker]

Wasn't planning on a Husker win today. But even if Purdue shoots the lights out, you don't have to get absolutely embarrassed like that. I watched Penn State handle Purdue (they were ahead by 28 in the 2nd half of that game, then Purdue climbed back and lost by 11). Good teams, or just mentally tough teams, value every possession and fight like hell regardless of the score. 

That all starts and ends with Brice and Juwan. They are supposed to be the leaders. Within the first few minutes they were both hanging their heads, just like in the Michigan State game. Brice passed up an open shot in the first possession and that lack of aggression was the theme of the game. His casual demeanor might be good in that opposing defenders can't speed him up. But your movements need to be more violent, crisp and clean against tough Big Ten defenses. He gets the ball stripped too often. Every possession matters.

Juwan again had 1 rebound. Zero defensive rebounds. Go back and rewatch any part of that game and you'll see Juwan not only not playing good on-ball defense, but also not helping and not rotating to close out and contest shots. 

Sam and Connor needed to play more than 22 minutes in a game like this. They provide energy that is desperately needed. They're the only two that box out every time a shot goes up. They're the only two that are constantly moving on both ends of the court. And right now they're both a threat to knock down an open shot (Sam is up to 40%3FG). The argument for Connor not playing more has been that he's a liability on defense and he's one dimensional offensively. He's playing pretty good defense right now and grabbed another 5 boards today. He's a good passer and in the last three games he's done a better job of creating for others than anyone outside of Brice. Had another 3 assists today. He was also 3 for 3 inside the arc in this game.

Think we should run more for Berke on offense, like we did against St. Mary's. He's playing pretty efficient offensively, just very low volume. 

We still run 2 or 3 sets a game to try to get the ball to Meah on the block with his back to the basket. Why? It's ALWAYS a wasted possession. Every possession matters. Reminds me of when Miles would try to force feed Tshimanga the first possession of every game. Don't think we ever scored off those sets. 

I still like this team and think we could have a good season, but our two 6th year seniors need to step up and be the leaders this team needs. 

 

Edit - full disclosure: it's a bourbon Sunday for me, so take everything I say with a grain of salt. 

Edited Sunday at 10:47 PM by millerhusker

[hhcmatt]

Notes from UNL

 

*-Nebraska falls to 2-1 against ranked opponents with today’s loss.
*-Nebraska falls to 0-9 in West Lafayette since joining the Big Ten, the only place among the 13 Big Ten schools (heading into this season) where NU has not won on the road.
*-Purdue shot .622 from the field was the second Husker opponent in 33 games to over 50 percent against Nebraska (Michigan State, .518 on Dec. 7). Purdue’s .622 is an opponent high against Nebraska this season.
*-Connor Essegian’s 17-point effort was the 16th double-figure effort by a Husker reserve this season.
*-Purdue set an opponent record for 3-poitners in a game with 19, breaking the previous NU opponent mark of 18, set twice (at Minnesota, 3/8/20; vs. Wisconsin 1/21/20).
*-Berke Büyüktuncel had a career-high four steals, topping his previous best of three on two other occasions, most recently at Hawai’i on Dec. 23.
*-Sam Hoiberg finished with two steals, his six multi-steal game this season.
*-Brice Williams was held to nine points, matching his lowest output of the season. It is only the second time in 16 games he was held out of double figures.
*-Today marked just the second time this season that Nebraska was out-rebounded, as Purdue had a 33-20 advantage on the glass.

[hhcmatt]

Box Score

 

[brfrad]

Early in the game, we struggle to get out on shooters, throughout the year. They get good looks, and usually make them.  Today was that times 10.  We also let that dictate our close outs the rest of the game, today.

 

We missed some 3's and were unable to get in the paint.  We became very reliant on poor 3 point shots.  A lot of hero ball occurred. 

 

All is not lost.  The last 2 years, we have played our best once we get into February. 

 

Prior to Feb 1st

2022 - 23

Home 7 - 3

Away 2 - 8

Neutral 1 - 2

 

2023 - 24

Home 13 - 1

Away 1 - 5

Neutral 1 - 0

 

After Feb 1st

2022 - 23

Home 4 - 1

Away 2 - 1

Neutral 0 - 1

 

2023 - 24

Home 5 - 0

Away 2 - 3

Neutral 1 - 2

 

 

[HuskerFever]

3 minutes ago, brfrad said:

All is not lost.  The last 2 years, we have played our best once we get into February. 

 

It's a good thing we started out the season at one of our best in Nov/Dec. Gives us a bit of breathing room in conference play; even with no gimmies.

 

Win our home games and we should be okay. Steal a couple road wins and we'll be gravy.

[Busch Light]

Maybe it’s just me, but when Painter still had starters in rather late just continuing to murder us while showboating, I’m a little shocked a few of the Nebraska players didn’t start “getting more physical”. Of course when you are 8’ away from them on a close-out and they drill a three, there’s probably not a lot you can do. I like Painter a lot and didn’t think he did anything bush….at some point, Nebraska players have to have the pride to stop it. A few hard fouls to Loyer and Smith would have stopped that nonsense. 
 

Maybe I’m out of line for thinking that. Bad game, erase it, move on. 

Edited Monday at 01:15 AM by Busch Light

[Bugeaters1]

30 minutes ago, HuskerFever said:

 

It's a good thing we started out the season at one of our best in Nov/Dec. Gives us a bit of breathing room in conference play; even with no gimmies.

 

Win our home games and we should be okay. Steal a couple road wins and we'll be gravy.

 

[Husker4theSpurs]

Feeling like Fred has been unhappy with Worster. He seemed to go away from him in the UCLA game as well even--even though he didn't have turnovers he just seemed shaky with the ball and decision making.

[Cazzie22]

We are not a good offensive team and we just didn’t match up with Purdue.  Smith and Loyer are three year players and Painter has a solid program.  Defense should go on the road but when you cannot do anything on offense the defensive effort subsides.  Purdue was hot on offense but their defense rendered us impotent on offense.

[HuscurAdam]

[throwback]

If you want to feel a little better about where we're at, the 3 teams we've lost to are 13-3 in the B1G so far (10-3 outside of beating NU); and the two teams we've beaten are 6-5 (6-3 outside of losing to NU). 

 

Gotta put this one behind us fast and take care of business Thursday against an RU team that's probably going to be on the bubble to make the B1G tourney. Absolutely can't lose that one.

 

[hskr4life]

2 hours ago, throwback said:

If you want to feel a little better about where we're at, the 3 teams we've lost to are 13-3 in the B1G so far (10-3 outside of beating NU); and the two teams we've beaten are 6-5 (6-3 outside of losing to NU). 

 

Gotta put this one behind us fast and take care of business Thursday against an RU team that's probably going to be on the bubble to make the B1G tourney. Absolutely can't lose that one.

 

There are multiple tiers starting to take shape, IMO.

 

You have the likely top 5 that will separate themselves (Mich, MSU, PU, Ill, Ore)

 

You also have a likely bottom 4 (Rutgers, Wash, Minny, NW). These are teams that you must beat. You can’t afford a loss here as most won’t lose to them and they’ll be a killer metrics wise. Especially if that games at home.

 

Then you have a large group (IU, Wis, Iowa, MD, Neb, UCLA, OSU, USC, and PSU) of teams that will be battling it out for top half of the conference, NCAA tournament hopes, etc. It’s this group of teams we need to do well against. It’s this group that we will want to finish at or near the top of. Remaining in each group?

 

Top 5 (0-2): Illinois, @Oregon, Michigan

 

Bottom 4 (0-0): Rutgers, @Wash, @Northwestern, Minnesota

 

Middle Tier (2-1): @MD, USC, @Wis, OSU, MD, @Penn St, @OSU, Iowa

 

To dance, you probably need at least 3-1 against the bottom 4. 4-0 would be best but a loss on the road at Washington is the only acceptable loss. Against the top 5, you want to at least grab one of those home games… though both would be icing on the cake. Then you have the rest. Holding serve at home against the middle tier gives you 4 more wins. But realistically you probably want to go 5-3 against that middle tier.

Edited Monday at 06:04 PM by hskr4life

[LNKtrnsplnt]

30 minutes ago, hskr4life said:

There are multiple tiers starting to take shape, IMO.

 

You have the likely top 5 that will separate themselves (Mich, MSU, PU, Ill, Ore)

 

You also have a likely bottom 4 (Rutgers, Wash, Minny, NW). These are teams that you must beat. You can’t afford a loss here as most won’t lose to them and they’ll be a killer metrics wise. Especially if that games at home.

 

Then you have a large group (IU, Wis, Iowa, MD, Neb, UCLA, OSU, USC, and PSU) of teams that will be battling it out for top half of the conference, NCAA tournament hopes, etc. It’s this group of teams we need to do well against. It’s this group that we will want to finish at or near the top of. Remaining in each group?

 

Top 5 (0-2): Illinois, @Oregon, Michigan

 

Bottom 4 (0-0): Rutgers, @Wash, Northwestern, Minnesota

 

Middle Tier (2-1): @MD, USC, @Wis, OSU, MD, @Penn St, @OSU, Iowa

 

To dance, you probably need at least 3-1 against the bottom 4. 4-0 would be best but a loss on the road at Washington is the only acceptable loss. Against the top 5, you want to at least grab one of those home games… though both would be icing on the cake. Then you have the rest. Holding serve at home against the middle tier gives you 4 more wins. But realistically you probably want to go 5-3 against that middle tier.

The NW game that you have listed as home is away, which obviously makes it tougher. 

[Cazzie22]

USC beat Illinois in Champaign.  That will be a difficult game.  We have no sure wins remaining.

[Art Vandalay]

2 hours ago, LNKtrnsplnt said:

The NW game that you have listed as home is away, which obviously makes it tougher. 

And I don’t think I’d lump NW as a bottom dweller yet

[hskr4life]

23 minutes ago, Art Vandalay said:

And I don’t think I’d lump NW as a bottom dweller yet

 

At 1-4 in the conference, a loss to Butler (who has lost 9 in a row now), and just 1 Q1/Q2 win, they're going to have to show me something before they make it out of that bottom tier.

[thrasher31]

1 hour ago, Art Vandalay said:

And I don’t think I’d lump NW as a bottom dweller yet

They have two of the best players in the big ten, but the rest is not good at all. Those two wings will keep them in most games. 

[AGHANSEN]

NW has had a brutal schedule.

The Cats won't be an easy out for any team. 

They got screwed against Iowa (30 ft buzzer beater) and Penn State (refs).

They could easily be 3-2.

 

[hhcmatt]

3 hours ago, Cazzie22 said:

USC beat Illinois in Champaign.  That will be a difficult game.  We have no sure wins remaining.

 

It's a good time to play Illinois as Kasparas Jakucionis is out 

[roscoe]

On 1/12/2025 at 7:14 PM, Busch Light said:

Maybe it’s just me, but when Painter still had starters in rather late just continuing to murder us while showboating, I’m a little shocked a few of the Nebraska players didn’t start “getting more physical”. Of course when you are 8’ away from them on a close-out and they drill a three, there’s probably not a lot you can do. I like Painter a lot and didn’t think he did anything bush….at some point, Nebraska players have to have the pride to stop it. A few hard fouls to Loyer and Smith would have stopped that nonsense. 
 

Maybe I’m out of line for thinking that. Bad game, erase it, move on. 

In my opinion part of the keeping starters in and showboating had something to do with us kicking their butts last year. Also agree with the hard foul play. Would like to see team come out and get physical and pick up couple aggressive fouls 1st few possessions. Make refs call fouls and get game under control on both ends. 

[hhcmatt]

Random stat of the day

 

Games started after 1 pm CST: 12-1
Games started before 1pm CST: 0-3

[hhcmatt]

Yes/no?

 

[Silverbacked1]

8 minutes ago, hhcmatt said:

Random stat of the day

 

Games started after 1 pm CST: 12-1
Games started before 1pm CST: 0-3

interesting...

[hskr4life]

5 minutes ago, hhcmatt said:

Random stat of the day

 

Games started after 1 pm CST: 12-1
Games started before 1pm CST: 0-3

 

For perspective... remainder of the year tips...

 

Rutgers- 8 PM

Maryland- 11 AM

USC- 8 PM

Wisconsin- 12 PM

Illinois- 7:30 PM

Oregon- 6:30 PM

Washington- 9:30 PM

Ohio St- 1 PM

Maryland- 7:30 PM

Northwestern- 2 PM

Penn St- 5:30 PM

Michigan- 7 PM

Minny- 1 PM

Ohio St- 8 PM

Iowa- 11:30 AM

 

Hold on for these next four games which will be an EKG of ups and downs. Then we get a nice 10 game winning streak!!

[49r]

31 minutes ago, hhcmatt said:

Yes/no?